Whether graduate student, research or support staff, or member of faculty, we could all use the regular opportunity to engage in structured, scientific communication in a fun and casual atmosphere. Enter Inuyama Nerds. Launched in November 2018, Inuyama Nerds aims to provide just such an opportunity. Rather than stuffing everyone into a traditional lecture hall or seminar room, arranged neatly into seated rows to listen to a speaker discuss their work - which is what we academics regularly do anyway at seminars, symposia and conferences - Inuyama Nerds juxtaposes some ordered chaos into this format, being held in a casual and welcoming location - currently PRI's cafeteria - with food and drinks (and dancing and karaoke!) and speakers discussing not only their work but also their tangents as far as they relate to the given theme of the evening.

The program, which is based on the popular Nerd Nite format developed in the United States https://nerdnite.com/, aims to hold events roughly bi-monthly, with an organizational structure that is dynamic event-to-event. Members of CICASP (The Center for International Collaboration and Advanced Studies in Primatology) form the core organizers and administrators of the event, but anyone with an idea and a list of speakers can approach us with their ideas for a future event and we will work toward making it happen. Overall, Inuyama Nerds is a collaborative program of CICASP and EHUB, WRC, and the PWS program.

*Inuyama Nerds is currently restricted to members, affiliates and invitees of Kyoto University. However, the Nerd Nite platform is operating worldwide and there may be public events in your area, so feel free to poke around the web for information.